Hard to find or?

[Mr.Dreamer]

Heyy everyone hows it going? I havent been on here in awhile and i forgot if this is the right spot to post this so if it isnt, go easy on me lol. So last time I was here I gave myself a year or so to pay off my school loan and start looking for my marauder. Well im slowly paying back the loan but aquired a second job so i think its safe to start looking for a marauder now lol. But i do have some questions/concerns when looking for a marauder. My first and biggest is how rare/hard are parts to come by? Because i dont wanna get a car and then spend most of my time searching for parts? Are they interchangeable with Crown vics and grand marquis parts? Second how easy/hard is it to change out the LCM? Because thats another concern of mine cuz i herd the rumor the LCMS going from 50k and on? Is it better to buy a marauder that has had the LCM fixed? Any well known issues besides the LCM? Like electrical issues? My next car i want something nice and has some power to it and so far im down to the marauder and the lincoln ls. Anyways guys thank you for any advice

[bolsen]

The LCM is a very cheap fix. The hardest parts to get are the front and rear bumpers.

[SC Cheesehead]

The LCM is a very cheap fix. The hardest parts to get are the front and rear bumpers.

^^^^ What he said. ^^^^

LCM is an easy and cheap fix. fastblackmerc can get you fixed up with this for $50 or less with a guaranteed lifetime warranty.

Bumper covers are about the hardest things to find. Some parts are common with the CV/GM (examples: wiper motors, body panels, etc., some interior components), but others are model specific.

The cars are really well built, we've got a couple guys that are at or over 200K miles and still going strong. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one with 100K+ on the clock if it has received normal maintenance.

[Mr.Dreamer]

ok this makes me feel a whole lot better. See i currently have a 1995 civic with an exhaust (not a fart cannon) and just all the ricers make me wanna get outta a honda. Kinda sad but yeah and im thinking its time to change it up. I say in about a month or 2 ill be searching for my marauder thank you guys again. But can you tell me the most common issue is with the marauders?

[Blackened300a]

See i currently have a 1995 civic with an exhaust

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IlrcJPwJvfQ/TgX66Ks5dPI/AAAAAAAAAJw/PokQW4X5AdM/s1600/GTFO.png

The Marauder will be a massive upgrade. :D

[SC Cheesehead]

ok this makes me feel a whole lot better. See i currently have a 1995 civic with an exhaust (not a fart cannon) and just all the ricers make me wanna get outta a honda. Kinda sad but yeah and im thinking its time to change it up. I say in about a month or 2 ill be searching for my marauder thank you guys again. But can you tell me the most common issue is with the marauders?

When you say "issue," do you mean little stuff or the terminal kind?

A few easily fixable things (mostly electronic) the LCM, EATC, BCM, Wacky Wipers, blend door motor, non-functioning LED's in the window and seat heater controls, burned out bulbs in the lower gauge panel; stuff like that. All of them are well documented in threads on this and repairable for a reasonable cost (most of 'em for less than $100).

The '03s had some issues with soft axles, but the majority of those are on the early production models (300A).

As for major stuff, nothing real common, the more mods you do to your car, the greater the possibility of eventual component failure, but overall, the cars are very reliable. Heck, the platform was in production for 30 years, police forces across the country, and the majority of taxi cab fleets are Panther platforms, that oughta tell you something. ;)

Be patient, find yourself a well-maintained car, and then go for it. These are solid cars, no longevity issues to concern yourself with.

[clmrt]

(took a while to post, most comments made by others above, but I'm a new owner with fresh observations, some may not be worth caring about)

My observations after 1 month -

Get ready for >20MPG

OEM wheels = personality of the car = $$$ if you need one.

Most body parts specific to the car (bumpers, as mentioned) are available from junkyards only, or Ebay partings.

Air suspension problems can be addressed for $400, think Arnott instead of OEM, or convert to coils.

Umm....

Steering wheels are specific to the car, I think...

Headlights and corner lights...knockoffs seem to be poor quality?

Axle issues with early 300As, soft steel leads to failures, $400 - $1000 repair?

Specific tires necessary with traction control models...

[Mr.Dreamer]

@blackend300a lmfao heyy its not the fastest or best but i do get 30 mpg. Ok so it sounds like if stuff goes wrong it wont break the bank and thats a good thing to know. Im leaning towards an 04 dont they have a better? transmission than the 03s? My main concern was since its a rare car are the parts limited or hard to find but you guys helped me put some worrys away lol.